Compression lock life span

15mtyler

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Mar 9, 2014
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I've been looking to expand to an edc knife rotation. I became a lover of spyderco knives after I got my manix 2 g10. I've been looking into getting a pm2 but the compression lock looks, to me, like a backwards liner lock, and I hate liner locks. So what is the lifespan of the compression lock on a pm2. If I don't get a pm2, I'm looking at a hk axis or griptilian.
 
If you are in your teens and live a long healthy life you may end up with some very minor blade play. But maybe not.
 
Use it how a knife is supposed to be used and the lock will outlive you...

Don't overthink it, it's only two pieces of metal rubbing against each other. You should be more worried about how long your shoulders will last before they get arthritis:thumbup:
 
I have never heard of anyone wearing one out. And this is the combined effort of several knife forums where people open and close their knives all day, possibly without cutting anything.

Also, the compression lock is stronger than a liner lock. Check out Bladehq's lock tests videos.
 
So what is the lifespan of the compression lock on a pm2

THAT is entirely up to you.
Lube it, take basic care of it and don't spend our every waking moment flipping it and . . .
well you have heard of gear heads making some old Dodge go for 300,000 miles ?
Yah kind of like that.

It is the furthest thing from a liner lock. It is a great design that WORKS and works well. No complaints here. Mine was flawless out to the box and needed no break in.

The Glimmer Man . . . gets the job done while the rest are asleep







 
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Don't overthink it, it's only two pieces of metal rubbing against each other. You should be more worried about how long your shoulders will last before they get arthritis


Man that is common sense, accurate advice. With a grain of salt from a guy that has had 2 total rebuild surgeries on each shoulder. "Black and Decker Surgical equipment". Bone surgeons use tools cabinet makers do. They just wrap what they can in plastic. :)

My oldest knife is one I found at about age 8 or 9. It's in better shape than I am now. :D It wasn't built as well as my Spydercos.


Joe L.
 
I've had my para2 for roughly 4 years now and took it through four Summer's of construction. It's taken some abuse and it's still rock solid. I think with regular use it can last s very long time.


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Get the knife, flick it to your heart's content, cut stuff and enjoy the snot out of it!! Those should be the ONLY thoughts in your head.
It is a fantastic knife with a phenomenal lock!!
Wearing out the lock should not enter your mind. If it does, do a search for worn out comp locks.......
Joe
 
Lifetime of a knife in whole, or of just the pivot and lock, may be significantly different depending on use. So sticking specifically with the action, how many times would an average EDC knife be opened/closed in a years time? In a lifetime?

I would say that I function a lot like duty cycle testing equipment. With minor OCD, I have knives that have been opened and closed many thousands of times. My PM2 is probably in the range of 4000-5000 currently. And with this knife, it's tuned to flick open fast, so my openings are all fast and hard. As of now, I have absolutely no blade play, and lock is rock solid.

I think the compression lock is often inaccurately described. I often hear, it's just and upside down or inverse liner lock. But it's not just a lock face against a blade face. I see it more as a combination of a liner lock and a bolt lock. The liner has a tab that interlocks with the blade.

So long story longer, most quality modern knives will not wear out in a lifetime. So everyone do your part and keep buying. We don't want terminal lifespan deficiencies to be built into the products we enjoy, just to force new purchases/replacements/upgrades. [emoji41][emoji56]

Lately I've also been handling my Chaparral that has been carried a lot lately. I cannot tweak for any form of flicking to open, but it is very smooth along the perfect ark. But now, after a ton of "break in", the blade finally falls 90 degrees on close with a full lock depress, and a slight downward wrist flip. So even the little Chap is approaching 2k at this time. And it's not even a flipper or flicker. [emoji41]


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I've tried to make sure that I always have a PM2 around here somewhere. So, I resorted early to collecting them, then selling the collection, and now just keeping a few around to make sure that I won't run out. That lock is such fun to play with...
 
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